Party Game Device

ABSTRACT

Party game device ( 1 ) including a games&#39; board ( 2 ) and a number of flat playing pieces ( 8 ), wherein the games&#39; board comprises a number of playing sections ( 3 ) adjusted to the dimensions of the playing pieces, the playing sections having first surfaces ( 15 ) comprising first supporting faces for the playing pieces, wherein at least one side the playing pieces are provided with second surfaces ( 10, 11 ) comprising second supporting faces for supportive contact with the first supporting faces, wherein the first and second surfaces comprise edge surfaces ( 13 ) situated at the edges of the playing pieces which edge surfaces are spaced apart.

The invention relates to a device or assembly for playing a party game,using a games' board and flat playing pieces to be placed thereon.

Such game assemblies are for instance known from Go or Four-in-a-Row. Inthese games the players in turns place a flat playing piece on a sectionthey selected on the games' board. A drawback is that if after placing aplaying piece it occurs to the player that another section would havebeen better or if the player made mistake when placing the piece,correction of said placement is hard to make and it usually leads todisturbing the position of the other playing pieces. This may also bethe case in other games, such as games in which words have to be formedwith playing pieces provided with a letter.

It is an object of the invention to improve on this.

Another object of the invention is to create new game options forexisting games.

From one aspect the invention to that end provides a party game deviceincluding a games' board and a number of flat playing pieces, whereinthe games' board comprises a number of playing sections adjusted to thedimensions of the playing pieces, the playing sections having firstsurfaces comprising first supporting faces for the playing pieces,wherein at least at one side the playing pieces are provided with secondsurfaces comprising second supporting faces for supportive contact withthe first supporting faces, wherein the first and second surfacescomprise edge surfaces situated at the edges of the playing pieces whichedge surfaces are spaced apart. In this way a tilting motion of theplaying piece is possible, as a result of which its solitary removalfrom the games' board is easy.

Preferably the edge surfaces are substantially circumferential,preferably fully circumferential, as a result of which a large freedomis offered in the tilting direction.

A stable support in addition to the tilting possibility is offered whenthe first and/or second supporting faces form a contiguous supportsurface within the edge surfaces.

In a first further development of the party game device according to theinvention, the edge surfaces of the first surfaces are recessed withrespect to other surfaces of the first supporting faces. The playingpieces may have a simple design, both main sides being fully flat, andthus they may possibly be used on both sides.

In a second further development of the party game device according tothe invention, the edge surfaces of the second surfaces are recessedwith respect to other surfaces of the second supporting faces, as aresult of which the games' board can be kept simple.

Possible disturbance of the other playing pieces during removal of aplaying piece is further limited when the games' board is provided withboundaries between the playing sections. Said boundaries are alsoeffective during tilting the playing pieces, so that said motion isoptimally controlled.

Preferably the boundaries form raised edges.

Preferably the first and/or second supporting faces are bounded by acircumferential edge which is shaped similarly to the circumferentialedge of the playing sections and/or the circumferential edge of theplaying pieces, respectively. Tilting can thus take place about a centreline parallel to the local circumferential edge of the playing piece inquestion, and possibly parallel to the local circumferential edge of anadjacent playing piece.

If the playing pieces have a polygonal circumference the possibility oftilting is enhanced. The tilting can then take place in a reliablemanner about a line parallel to a side of the polygon. If the playingpieces have a regular hexagonal circumference, not only tiltingpossibilities in many, namely six, directions are offered, but anadvantageous division of the playing pieces on the games' board is alsoachieved.

The invention furthermore provides a games' board suitable and intendedfor a party game device according to the invention.

The invention furthermore provides a playing piece suitable and intendedfor a party game device according to the invention.

From a further aspect the invention provides a party game deviceincluding a games' board and a number of flat playing pieces, whereinthe games' board comprises a number of playing sections adjusted to thedimensions of the playing pieces, the playing sections having firstsurfaces comprising first supporting faces for the playing pieces,wherein at least at one side the playing pieces are provided with secondsurfaces comprising second supporting faces for supportive contact withthe first supporting faces, wherein the first and second surfaces areformed for allowing the second supporting face to tilt with respect tothe first supporting face.

Preferably the first supporting faces form an elevation in the firstsurfaces, which elevation preferably is surrounded by a lowered stepand/or the second supporting faces form an elevation in the secondsurfaces, which elevation preferably is surrounded by a lowered step. Inthe latter case it is preferred that such second surfaces have beenformed on both sides of the playing piece.

The invention will be elucidated on the basis of an exemplary embodimentshown in the attached drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a top view of a games' board of an example of a party gamedevice according to the invention, at the end of a first stage of agame;

FIG. 2 shows the games' board of FIG. 1, in an immediately subsequentgame step;

FIG. 3 shows the games' board of FIG. 2, in an immediately subsequentgame step;

FIG. 4 shows a schematic cross-section of a part of the games' board ofFIG. 1, including a playing piece in stable condition supported in thegames' board;

FIG. 5 shows the playing piece of FIG. 4, in tilted condition beforetaking out; and

FIG. 6 shows an example of an alternative playing piece according to theinvention.

The party game device 1 shown in FIG. 1 and further comprises an—in theexample—regular hexagonal games' board 2, which, due to the hexagonalshape, is suitable for six players, each having their own colourposition 7. The hexagonal flat playing pieces 8, which are part of thegame assembly 1, have a colour corresponding to the colour position 7concerned. In this example the game is played by four players, havinghexagonal flat pieces 8 a, 8 b, 8 c and 8 d of different colours.

For stable support of the playing pieces 8 a-d the games' board 2 isprovided with hexagonal accommodation spaces or playing sections 3 thatare contiguous to each other and which suit and are substantiallycongruent to the playing pieces. As can also be seen in the FIGS. 4 and5 the accommodation spaces 3 are bounded by a hexagonal circumferentialraised wall 4 and spaced apart from said circumferential wall 4 they areprovided with an elevation 5 having a hexagonal circumferential edge 13as well, wherein between the elevation 5 and the circumferential wall 4a circumferential surface 6 is present that is positioned lower. Theupper surface of elevation 5 forms a flat supporting face 15 for aplaying piece 8, and at the circumferential edge 13 is provided with acircumferential slope.

The playing pieces 8, as can be seen in the FIGS. 4 and 5, are flathaving an upper surface 10 and a lower surface 11 and edges 14.

As can be seen in the FIGS. 4 and 5 the circumferential wall 4, thelowered surface 6 and the elevation 5 realise a circumferential recess12. As a result when exerting the force F (FIG. 4) a moment M (FIG. 5)can be exerted on the playing piece 8, so that the piece 8 tilts about aline S (schematically shown in FIGS. 2 and 5) parallel to the localcircumferential edges 13 and 14 and the right-hand portion, asconsidered in FIG. 5, can easily be engaged at the edge 14 by thefingers in order to remove the playing piece 8 in the direction A. Theadjacent playing pieces remain untouched here.

With the game assembly of FIG. 1 and further a game known asFour-in-a-Row can be played. The playing pieces 8 have a thickness of ½cm and a side of for instance 16 mm, and the games' board has a side ofmore than 20 mm. The recesses 12 may here have a width of ½ cm, and theheight of the edge 4 may be approximately 4 mm, the height of theelevation 5 for instance being 2 mm.

The general rules of the game of Four-in-a-Row are considered known. Inthe game using the game assembly according to the invention, in thesituation shown in FIG. 1, it can be assumed that it is the turn of theplayer using the pieces 8 d, but he has no more pieces. Said player, inthe situation shown in which there is no winner yet, may move one of hisused pieces 8 d. In the example of FIGS. 1-3 he chooses the piece 8 dthat forms a connection between the left-hand group and the right-handgroup of playing pieces 8 d. The removal of the playing piece 8 d issimple in the manner shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 and discussed above. Theremoved playing piece 8 d, see FIG. 3, is placed contiguously to theright-hand side of the right-hand group. The left-hand group of piecesis fewer in number, and is removed entirely, the playing pieces beingreturned to the players in question. The game can be continued in asecond stage, in the usual manner.

In FIG. 6 the tilting facility is formed in the playing piece 18, whichmay be hexagonal again, for use in hexagonal playing sections having afully flat (support) surface. The playing piece 18 is provided with aflat elevation 25 on both sides 20, 21, which elevation is bounded byhexagonal circumferential edges 23, as a result of which lowered,circumferential steps 26 have been formed and thus circumferentialrecesses 22. The circumferential edge 24 is also hexagonal. Whenexerting a pressure force F on the step 26 the playing piece will tiltuntil the edge 24 abuts the permanent support surface and can then beremoved.

It is noted that the invention is not limited to the game Four-in-a-Row,but may for instance also be applied to the game Go.

1. Party game device including a games' board and a number of flatplaying pieces, wherein the games' board comprises a number of playingsections adjusted to the dimensions of the playing pieces, the playingsections having first surfaces comprising first supporting faces for theplaying pieces, wherein at least at one side the playing pieces areprovided with second surfaces comprising second supporting faces forsupportive contact with the first supporting faces, wherein the firstand second surfaces comprise edge surfaces situated at the edges of theplaying pieces which edge surfaces are spaced apart.
 2. Party gamedevice according to claim 1, wherein the edge surfaces are substantiallycircumferential, preferably fully circumferential.
 3. Party game deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein the first and/or second supporting facesform a contiguous support surface within the edge surfaces.
 4. Partygame device according to claim 1, wherein the edge surfaces of the firstsurfaces are vertically recessed with respect to other surfaces of thefirst supporting faces.
 5. Party game device according to claim 1,wherein the edge surfaces of the second surfaces are vertically recessedwith respect to other surfaces of the second supporting faces.
 6. Partygame device according to claim 1, wherein the games' board is providedwith boundaries between the playing sections.
 7. Party game deviceaccording to claim 6, wherein the boundaries form raised edges.
 8. Partygame device according to claim 1, wherein the first and/or secondsupporting faces are bounded by a circumferential edge which is shapedsimilarly to the circumferential edge of the playing sections and/or thecircumferential edge of the playing pieces, respectively.
 9. Party gamedevice according to claim 1, wherein the playing pieces have a polygonalcircumference.
 10. Party game device according to claim 9, wherein theplaying pieces have a hexagonal circumference.
 11. Games' board suitableand intended for a party game device according to claim
 1. 12. Playingpiece suitable and intended for a party game device according toclaim
 1. 13. Party game device including a games' board and a number offlat playing pieces, wherein the games' board comprises a number ofplaying sections adjusted to the dimensions of the playing pieces, theplaying sections having first surfaces comprising first supporting facesfor the playing pieces, wherein at least at one side the playing piecesare provided with second surfaces comprising second supporting faces forsupportive contact with the first supporting faces, wherein the firstand second surfaces are formed for allowing the second supporting faceto tilt with respect to the first supporting face.
 14. Party game deviceaccording to claim 13, wherein the first supporting faces form anelevation in the first surfaces, which elevation preferably issurrounded by a lowered step.
 15. Party game device according to claim13, wherein the second supporting faces form an elevation in the secondsurfaces, which elevation preferably is surrounded by a lowered step.16. Party game device according to claim 15, wherein on both sides ofthe playing piece such second surfaces have been formed.
 17. (canceled)18. (canceled)
 19. (canceled)